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In Niantic, a backhoe rescues group of women from floods

A full moon, gusty winds, heavy rain and a rising tide combined to serve up some concern on Atlantic St. along Crescent Beach in Niantic as daylight broke.

EAST LYME, Conn. — Southeastern Connecticut was hit hard Monday morning by heavy wind and rain. So much so that a group of women needed to be rescued by a backhoe.

A full moon, gusty winds, heavy rain and a rising tide combined to serve up some concern on Atlantic St. along Crescent Beach in Niantic as daylight broke.

"We have a beautiful house, beautiful waterfront view but suddenly the water was coming to the window in sort of an aquarium fashion," said Liz Cooke, of Long Island, who was among several women renting the beachfront home for the weekend getaway.

And, because there was water splashing up against the second floor, Gail Ofgant said, "I went downstairs, and they were all snoozing. So I tried to text them to see if I could wake them up."

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Of course, a friendly nudge might have worked better.

"It was absolutely scary. The house was groaning," said Carolyn Crush. 

"I told everyone to start packing," said Katie O'Grady. "We’re out of here! I’m the mom of the group."

So, some of the women decided to move their cars to higher ground.

"When I left, it (water) was at my ankles but when I walked back it was over my knees," said Maggie Merrill.

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But some of the women were still in the house with the waters rising.

"So I called the police to ask 'how do I get my friends out of the house. I’m concerned' because the tide was coming in fast," said O'Grady.

And that's when East Lyme Public Works was dispatched and they knew the water was too deep for a pickup truck. So, they used a backhoe to rescue the remaining women.

"They got the scoop (bucket) right up to the stairs so that we could stand on the scoop facing the thing and we held on and they took us up to high ground," said a relieved Jennifer Muller.

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It took the ladies several years to get this reunion organized. But Mother Nature provided a lifetime of memories in minutes.

"A nice, quiet, relaxing, low-key, hang out and do nothing girls' weekend," Cooke joked.

East Lyme Public Works Director, Joe Bragaw, and Police Chief Michael Finkelstein say this is the hardest Crescent Beach has been hit since Super Storm Sandy over nine years ago.

Tony Terzi is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at tterzi@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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